On 01/23/2013 08:38 PM, Brian Hechinger wrote: but it's nice to be able to just create a VM with a few measly clicks. The downside is that I have to run the VMWare vSphere Client on a Windows platform. In this case it's Windows 7 running on my Mac Pro inside a VMWare Fusion VM. You can do a lot of stuff from the BB shell within ESXi, though the command structure is somewhat obtuse. It's handy in emergencies. If you're just bringing up or shutting down VMs, etc, it's very easy to deal with, and you don't need to sully yourself with Winblows and end up with that "not so fresh" feeling. With the move to ESXi from "full blown" ESX VMware has been moving more and more out of the ESXi host. Are they reducing the functionality that's available there? I don't *want* full-blown ESX. The things you can do in BB are *very* limited. Nah. Here's my quick cheat sheet, which is only the stuff I've used: vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms # lists VMs vim-cmd vmsvc/power.getstat <vmid> # get power state vim-cmd vmsvc/power.on <vmid> # power on VM vim-cmd vmsvc/power.off <vmid> # power off VM vim-cmd vmsvc/power.shutdown <vmid> # shutdown vim-cmd vmsvc/power.restart <vmid> # restart vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter # enter maintenance mode vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit # exit maintenance mode vim-cmd vmsvc/unregister <vmid> # remove VM from inv. vim-cmd solo/registervm /path/to/<filename>.vmx # add VM to inv. vim-cmd vmsvc/message <msg_num> # get messages So, basically anything except creating a new one or re-provisioning disks or other resources...and I've done THOSE from the BB shell as well, though not often enough that I've put it in my cheat-sheet. However, you can download the API tools (perl or PowerShell versions available) or install the VMA (Virtual Management Appliance, just a linux box with the tools already installed) you can do everything you need to do from the CLI of your favorite OS. Got a link for that? And will it work with 4.1? If you can use vCenter, the web based GUI in 5.1 is FANTASTIC and only required flash. Works fine in Chrome. If you need keys for 5 I might *cough* know *cough* where *cough* to get some. *cough cough*. :) Hmm! Please to be sending! Can I do an in-place upgrade from 4.1 to 5? -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA